Tag: troubles

It Hurts When People Wrongly Judge Us, But Jesus Never Condemns Us

Trudy Den HoedQuote24 Comments

My thoughts bounce like ping-pong balls in my head or else my mind goes blank and doesn’t remember what I was going to do next.

My heart hurts. Not only because we lost a loved one. Also because someone judged and condemned him. Someone who has judged me in the past. So painful memories are triggered, memories of being judged and condemned by many, even those who I thought were my friends.

Have you ever been wrongfully judged and condemned by people? I’m so, so sorry. My heart hurts for you.

There is Someone infinitely greater who hurts for us far deeper than anyone ever can. So much that we cannot even fathom it. Jesus cries when we cry. He knows and cares so deeply and strongly. He never condemns us. He is all about LOVE and GRACE. Unhurting. Unending. Unfailing.

“How priceless is
Your unfailing love, O God!
    People take refuge in
the shadow of Your wings.”
Psalm 36:7 NIV
“So now there is no condemnation
for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 NLT
“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
    a refuge in times of trouble.”
Psalm 9:9 NLT
“I am leaving you with a gift
— peace of mind and heart!
And the peace I give isn’t fragile
like the peace the world gives.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27 TLB

“Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled”

by Helen Steiner Rice

“Whenever I am lonely and lost in deep despair,
I bundle all my troubles up and go to God in prayer.
I tell him I am heartsick and lost and lonely too,
that my mind is deeply burdened and I don’t know what to do.
But I know He stilled the tempest and calmed the angry sea,
so I humbly ask if in His love He’ll do the same for me.
And then I just keep quiet, and think only thoughts of peace,
and if I abide in stillness, my restless murmurings cease.”

“Healing Is In Your Hands”
by Christy Nockels

“No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know
could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret, no chain is strong enough
to keep us from Your love
to keep us from Your love
How high, how wide
No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands
How deep, How strong,
And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands…”

Stepping Into the Unknown With Fear and Trusting Jesus Will Never Abandon Us

Trudy Den Hoed32 Comments

One of my favorite places to visit as a child was Island Park in a small town in NW Iowa. I remember the challenge of crossing the river on stepping-stones at the bottom of a waterfall.

A couple of steps were missing and left wide gaps of uncertainty. As I sat on a step and reached my bare toes underneath the water, I could still feel the missing step’s slimy, slippery foundation. Dare I step forward?

Sometimes I didn’t dare. Other times I risked it, but I soon changed my mind when I nearly slipped into the rushing water. However, there were also times I did brave it and got to the other side of the river with a shout of victory.

Sometimes a flood drowns out Island Park. The river rages and obliterates all traces of any steps at all. When devastating storms in our lives churn up chaos in our hearts, the way forward can get blinded by fear. What if we take the wrong step? What if we fail? What if we get hurt again?

When Peter walked on the water towards Jesus, he stepped out in blind faith. His eyes were fixed on Jesus, and he gave no thought to missing stepping-stones. But then his heart looked away from Jesus, and all he saw were the winds whipping up the waves to a frenzy. His courage crashed. And he sank in fear… Save me, Lord! (Matthew 14:22-34)

Jesus stretched out His hand and rescued him. Even though he doubted. And He will do the same for us, even when we become faint of heart. Jesus never holds our lack of trust against us. He rescues us anyway.

Our lives are like taking small steps of faith, aren’t they? Small steps, not without fear, but in spite of fear. Sometimes one step forward and two steps back, but still forward.

We don’t know what lies ahead of us in this world. As we reach our toes ahead into uncertainty, our hearts may tremble with fear. Sometimes we slip and slide and fall wounded. Sometimes fear sinks us when we lose our focus on our only hope in Jesus. In panic, we cry out to God.

Again and again, Jesus will grasp our hand with His hand of powerful, unfailing love, pull us up again, and give us the strength to go on. He’s got us in His firm grip, and He’s not going to let us go.

“If God hadn’t been there for me,
I never would have made it.
The minute I said, ‘I’m slipping, I’m falling,’
Your love, GOD, took hold and held me fast.
When I was upset and beside myself,
You calmed me down and cheered me up.”
Psalm 94:17-19 MSG
“That’s right. Because I, your GOD,
have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go.
I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic.
I’m right here to help you.'”
Isaiah 41:13 MSG
“When struck by fear,
I let go, depending securely upon You alone.”
Psalm 56:3 VOICE

“I Am Not Alone”
by Kari Jobe

 

We Are Never Insignificant in God’s Eyes

Trudy Den Hoed26 Comments

Do you feel unnoticed and insignificant? Like you’re nothing but a number to some people? Or a mat to wipe their dirty feet on?

In the world we live in, whether in families, society, or at work, it’s easy to feel overlooked and unappreciated, isn’t it? 

The earth is but a tiny speck in the solar system, only 1 millionth the size of the sun. Consider that tiny speck holding well over 7 million people (World Population Clock). Can you imagine what size each of us is in comparison to such a vast universe?

In such magnitude, not one of us can be visible to the human eye. And that may be how we feel at times. Invisible and insignificant among so many.

Yet to God, each one of us is not only visible but cared about. He keeps track of every life from the moment of conception to the day of death. Even before that, He knows us! We are precious to Him. He knows every detail of our lives, even down to how many hairs are on each of our heads at this very moment. He knows the depth of our thoughts and feelings. He knows every single hurt in each of our hearts, and He cries with us. 

“Since you are so much more precious to God
than a thousand flocks of sparrows,
and since God knows you in every detail
– down to the number of hairs
on your head at this moment –
you can be secure and unafraid of any person,
and you have nothing to fear from God either.”
Luke 12:7 VOICE

No, this life is far from easy. Troubles can become like immovable mountains. People can hurt us and make us feel like we’re insignificant nothings. Negative voices and past pain can wrap us in seemingly unbreakable chains. Satan himself stalks us like a hungry lion seeking to devour us. But God…

But God is still bigger! In times when we can embrace how powerful, tender, and unfailing God’s love is for us, it can fill our hearts with hope.

We may be merely statistics to a census bureau or feel unnoticed and insignificant to others, but our Creator counts each one of us worthy of His consideration, compassion, and unconditional love around the clock day after day, year after year, and into eternity. 

He loves each one of us as if you are or I am the only person on earth. I just can’t comprehend such powerful love and grace, can you?

There are so many in this world who feel unloved and insignificant. Are you one of them? I deeply long for every single one of you to feel special and loved. You are not insignificant, no matter what anyone says. You are not unlovable. You are not overlooked. God has the power and the desire to reach into and heal the wounded places of every hurting heart. His arms of unconditional, fathomless love reach out to us, no matter who we are, where we’re from, or where we’ve been.

“And may you have the power to understand,
as all God’s people should,
how wide, how long, how high,
and how deep His love is.
May you experience the love of Christ,
though it is too great to understand fully.
Then you will be made complete with all
the fullness of life and power that comes from God”.
Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT
“How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
You are still with me!”
Psalm 139:17-18 NLT

Your Unfailing Love
by Chris Tomlin